1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to ergonomic and health-care devices used for back support.
2. Description of Prior Art
In response to the large incidence and prevalence of back injuries, inventors created different types of back braces to aid in the prevention of injuries, the decrease of pain, and the return to normal function or work duties. Some of these braces are made of soft flexible materials, and others are made of hard rigid materials. These braces are used primarily to provide tactile feedback so that wearers are aware of their backs and are more careful about how they move (e.g., soft braces), or are used after surgeries to prevent people from moving.
The soft braces, because they are flexible, only limit back movement to a small degree. Therefore, they allow people to get in positions which can result in injury or reinjury, including forward-bent positions, which increase the compressive forces on the spine. They also do not decrease the amount of muscle activity necessary for a person to perform a task, especially if that person is in a forward-bent position. Therefore, they do not decrease the compressive forces on the spine and do not prevent injury or reinjury, or decrease pain, caused by compressive loading of the spine or by contraction of the muscles.
The hard braces do limit the range of motion of the back to a large extent (although not fully) but, in doing so, they typically prevent people from performing their normal daily functions or work duties. In addition, they may allow motion at the hip, allowing people to be in a forward-bent position. This will increase the compressive loading on the spine, even more than if they were not wearing a brace due to the added weight of the brace. This will not result in a decrease in back muscle activity, and will probably increase the activity due to the added weight of the brace. This will result in further increased compressive loading and pain.
In summary, there are currently no back support devices that allow people with back pain and dysfunction, exacerbated by compressive forces acting on the spine, to perform functions with decreased back pain in positions that would tend to increase compressive forces on the spine (e.g., forward bending). There are currently no such devices that can counteract the forces that would increase compressive loading of the spine, and that can decrease the effort required by the back muscles to perform tasks while counteracting forces that would pull them forward. There are currently no devices that act to prevent injuries under the above conditions.
There exists prior art that discloses various harnesses and cabling systems for supporting a person in a harness. All of these are safety systems designed to prevent people from falling off a building or for lowering people from a building. None of these specifically addresses the problem of supporting a person in a standing forward-bent position for extended periods of time for the purpose of performing particular tasks. Also, none of these provide a means for the user to control the movement of the belaying or safety line, or for doing so while keeping the hands free.